Manchester, England/manchester040
Previous | Home | NextBy the 1800s cotton had become so important to Manchester's industry that the city was informally called "Cottonopolis." The development of the steam engine, along with the fly shuttle and other improvements, transformed Manchester's landscape. This engraving is by Edward Goodall (1795-1870). An entire movement -- the "Luddomites" -- emerged to oppose technological change that would reduce employment. This term, named after Ned Ludd who destroyed weaving machinery ca. 1779, is still used today to describe any group that opposes technological advancement. The cotton industry in Manchester played an important part in the overall evolution of its cultural and scientific culture. During the American Civil War, when cotton was blockaded by the Union, Manchester suffered grave economic recession and the scientific community, notably the chemist Henry Enfield Roscoe (the first to prepare metallic vanadium; see below) gave community lectures to entertain the public.
